John 7:1-24

John 7:1-24

When someone praises us for doing God’s work, let’s give God the glory. God’s work includes preaching & teaching, leading & administering, and serving.

Verse 7: Jesus boldly confront the world and its evil nature, He speaks the truth in all circumstances, no fear. Verse 12: Some were saying He is a good man. But the majority of the people were afraid or fear of the leaders. Are we afraid of speaking the truth in any circumstances or we fear the leaders or power around us.

The key to identifying true teaching is to “choose to do the will of God” (v 17). So a person with no desire to fulfill the will of God can never identify the truth.

v24 explains that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!

Jesus always does things at the right time.

Contrary to what the world thinks like vs 4 – no one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret … Jesus goes secretly. I think this is why we are supposed to be a salt to the world. Never seen but always brings out the goodness.

Whenever we do something for the Glory of God,we have to hide ourself and show the one for whom we are doing.If we think we are doing any good out of our own strength then we are unrighteous.

Jesus said that his time has not come yet Jesus knows when to do stuff.

1. Worldly thing
-…The world can not hate you, but it hates me..(v7). Jesus tells His brothers that the people over there in Judea are of the world, they belong to the world, they like the worldly things as you do, so they will not hate you. But, Jesus teaches to hate the worldly things and ask them to believe in Him, so Jews hated Him!
2. Wicked thing
-The Jews there were amazed of Jesus’ teaching (v15), because they were also well versed of the scriptures, but still they couldn’t understand that He is to come (Messiah). That’s why Jesus said “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (v24).
3. Wise thing
-Whoever speaks of their own does so to gain personal glory. So, be wise to glorify the God in whatever things you do as the man of Truth did (v18).

Facts under appearances1. According to Jews, sabbath is God-given and Circumcision is also God given . So doing both is non-contradictory(.22). They have acted with good judgment! (24)
2. But when Jesus combines the same, by doing healing or more accurately making whole (God given blessing) on a Sabbath ( a God given day of rest), how can it be wrong? 2+ 2 = 4 right? No according to Jewish opponents.
3. The reason is simple. Jesus has “appeared” in public and they are carried away by their prejudice ( 15)and somehow the facts have changed and that is poor judgment! (v24)
4. This verse gives us confidence that truth remains and we can judge rightly in a world of appearances. A key verse for showing that we can teach children to judge right from wrong when the facts are there.
5.We can judge without being judgmental. Watch closely how Jesus argues with them. ( 22-24). He uses their own facts to show their inconsistency. In other words, he is NOT carried away by their outward appearances of shouting (20) or criticism (15) , he keeps speaking to them. Wonderful
Counsellor indeed.

For Jesus, he had his father on his side so he could fulfill his fathers will. We should have God on our side .

V7) we often do things (to please others)so that the world does not hate us. Jesus boldly testifies what the world does is evil. Jesus repeatedly says that what he says/does/teaches is not from him but it’s from who sent him. Similarly we should never take pride/glory for ourself. We are nothing without HIM.

V17:If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God, in the same way if our will is to do God’s will, we also know whether all the teachings are from God or from Man.